4Children welcomes additional funding into free nursery and child-minder places

Responding to the announcement by Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg that there will be an additional £100 million capital investment into free nursery and child-minder places for disadvantaged 2-3 year olds, Anne Longfield OBE, Chief Executive of the Charity 4Children said;

This injection of new money into early years education for the country’s most disadvantaged two year olds is a welcome step from the Liberal  Democrats, who have shown continuing commitment' to social mobility and the crucial role that the early years plays in transforming life chances.

This new capital investment will take the total dedicated to the 2year old education offer to near £1billion – a potent symbol that early intervention into a children’s education is a priority.

Giving every child that is entitled, a place, and in a high quality setting, is the real challenge and it is positive that this new money is being driven into improving capacity and buildings for new places to be created.

The financial commitment needs to be matched with a continued strategy for closing the gap in disadvantaged areas where there is greater demand than places available. We also hope that there will be sustained investment in this area beyond this announcement so that the very positive moves to ensure that we can provide the best possible nursery education to the most disadvantaged is ingrained in this and future government’s plans.”

To read more about the announcement, click here.

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